Margaret's Nickname

My grandmother's name was Margaret and her nickname was Grechen. I was reading Goethe's Faust on the way to Indiana earlier this week (this entry is being made at a Holiday Inn in Lafayette, IN). Early in the story Faust goes on a date with a character named Margaret whose nickname is Grechen. Later he goes on a double date with Grechen with the other couple being the devil and his date, Martha.   ¶ 6:32 AM

  Some Stories.

Everyweek or so somebody at work retires. I remember when my dad retired, I went to the little ceremony they had at the National Antibiotic Administration Center Program in the Food and Drug Administration (sometimes I would tell people Dad worked at the NAACP and sometimes I would say he works with drugs). About a week after he retired, he rearranged the pantry for my mom (as a surprize). The next day, he called someone about a part time job. I tell this story to people who are about to retire.

Here's another story. When my parents were dating, my father would plan the dates. He would tell my mom to meet him and give directions like, "I'll be at the northeast corner of 7th and H street NW at 1145am". Mom didn't exactly like this way of specifying things. She wanted him to say, "I'll be at the front of Woody's (aka Woodward and Lothrup) a little before noon." After my dad learned to give directions her way, their relationship improved.

Here's a joke my mom used to tell - sometimes I tell it at transportation related meetings. Two women in their late 70s are talking. Call them Kate and Alice.

Kate - Well I'm getting married again.
Alice - Oh how nice. Tell me about him.
Kate - Well there's not much to tell.
Alice - Oh come now, there must be something special about him. Is he handsome?
Kate - Not especially.
Alice - Well is he rich?
Kate - No.
Alice - Well is he attentive, you know frisky?
Kate - No.
Alice - Well, why are you marrying someone like this.
Kate - He drives at night.

  ¶ 5:30 PM

  Music

Music ran deep in the family. My grandfather played the violin. My father played the viola. Both played for the Montgomery County Symphany Orchestra. I played the cello. My brother played the violin. Yes we sometimes played quartet.

My grandfather and grandmother had a tune they would use to call each other. They would wistle it so I suppose it could be heard in a crowd. The tune went A (1/4note) B (1/8th) A (1/8th) Gsharp (1/4). My father would answer the door with HAL (D (1/4th)) LO (D just below (1/4th). I'm the only one in our family who does something similar. When Ann (or sometimes Beth) asks me to do something and estimates it to take a much shorter time than I think it will (or when it does), I'll hmm the tune to the Beach Boys song "Summertime" but the words will be, 'min min min min min min minimize; min min min min min min minimize, min min min min min min minimize, minimize the work for the dad'. When I consider myself abused, I'll hum the tune from the Rogers and Hammerstein song "Poor Judd is dead." the words of my song begin, "poor dad's abused, poor dad is abused, he works so hard and then he is abused". I also have another song the words of which are "and the wonderful dad........."

  ¶ 7:06 PM